Radio Cadena Agramonte emisiora de Camagüey
Camagüey, May 14.- To combat anemia and other deficiency states in children under one year old, the municipality of Camagüey today began the delivery of Micronutrients in powder.
These supplements, which contain Ferrous Fumarate, vitamin C, vitamin A and Folic Acid, were donated by the World Food Programme.
Nurys Vázquez Rodríguez, in charge of the Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene of the Provincial Epidemiology Center, supervises distribution in the province.
She explained that the product is presented in boxes with 30 sachets of one gram each and mothers will receive two boxes to administer the supplement to their children for 60 consecutive days.
The specialist indicated that, after a four-month break, a new cycle will begin with MNP 5, which also includes the micronutrient zinc.
Today the distribution process began in offices 16 and 17 of the Rodolfo Ramírez Esquivel polyclinic, located in the provincial capital, there the mothers were meticulously instructed by specialists on the correct administration to infants, in addition, the delivery of these supplements to nearly three thousand children, aged between six months and 11 months and 29 days, in the 13 municipalities of the Camagüey territory.
Vázquez Rodríguez stressed the importance of adequate hygiene, urging people to wash their hands before handling the envelope. Afterwards, they should mix the contents with two tablespoons of solid food, avoiding liquid or hot food.
Regarding adverse reactions, the nutritionist indicated that it is possible that diarrhea may occur in the first days after administration, but it should be a temporary effect. If diarrhea persists, it is essential to see a doctor for proper evaluation, and she noted that darkening of children's stools due to micronutrients is a normal effect and not a cause for alarm.
The health program is complemented with educational actions, using teaching materials such as posters, calendars and booklets that provide the necessary instructions.
Claudia Cannet Aguilar and Marien Rodríguez Gutiérrez, mothers from Camagüey who have received the product, expressed their gratitude for the free distribution of nutritional supplements. Both recognize the importance of these in child development and value the initiative that supports the health of their children.
Since 2008, nutritional supplements have been distributed in the provinces of the eastern region of Cuba, recently this initiative has been expanded to Camagüey, with the support of the Ministry of Public Health and the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology of Cuba. (Text and photo: Dannys Hernández de Luaces/Radio Cadena Agramonte)
